Shovel handle



`Hann. 22 1924.

1 L. E. WEBSTER SHOVEL HANDLE Filed Oct. 1'? 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TTORNE Y Jan. 22 1924. 1,481,575

L. E. WEBSTER sHovEL HANDLE Filed Oct. 17. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTU/UVE Y Patente .Fea 22, i924.

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L BHOVEL HANDLE.

Application nled etober 17, 192i. Serial No. 508,242.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Wyoiiiin in the county of a Luzerne and State 0% Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shovel Handles of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to improvements in i0 shovel handles and more particularly to shovel handles of D type formed from sheet metal.

In the shovel making art it has been the ractise to form the D handle of the shovel it trom wood, preferably well seasoned ash. The configuration of the handle is such that there is considerable waste of wood in the process of forming these handles, and much labor is required in forming them.

It is one of the objects of my invention to rovide a sheet metal handle which will out gown the waste of this wood and also reduce the cost of the handle.

Previous attempts have been made to rovide metallic handles for shovels and ike tools. These former handles have not been satisfactory inasmuch as they had certain characteristics which distiguished them from the usual wooden handle. Among these may be mentioned the diEerence in weight and contour, the revision of an open flanged construction or the side arms of the D handle, the use of metallic gri s which chill the laborers hands in co d weather and rotation of the grip relatively to the body portion of the handle. I This latter characteristic is particularly objectionable to shovel users since it largely diminishes the purchase or leverage which the laborer can secure upon the shovel over that which he can secure with the solid woo'den ii handle having a unitary grip portion.

It is among the objects of the resent inl vention to lprovide a shovel hand e ogsheet -metal which will retain the desired an well known characteristics vof the solid wooden handle so 'as to be equally satisfactory to the user,

@ther ob'ects reside in the provision of a sheet metal shovel handle which will be simple, inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and which will stand up under severe usage.

(.)the'r objects of the reside in the provision o a handle which provides an extended bearing for the wood shank portion, whereby rocking -or tilting of the shank in the handle is prevented.

.another obJect of the present invention resides in the provision of depressed portions in the flat p ortion of the D handle, thereby strengthening andl reinforcing the fiat portion of the handle and rendering the same less liable to deformation when in use. The edges of these depressions also coo erate to form shank receiving shoulders.

nother object of the present invention resides in the provisions of a sheet metal handle receiving element of such contour that the same can be readily assembled with the main sheet metal body portion. This handle receiving element materially reduces the cost of manufacturin the main portion of the handle and Simp ifies the assembly of the entire handle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 -shows an aembly view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

0 Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on line .2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on lines 3-3 and 4--4 respectively.

Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side views of the handle receivin element.

Fig. 7 shows a ront view of the main body portion prior to the assembly of the handle receivin element therewith and prior to the bending in of the flange portion.

,Fig 8 is a side view of the part shown in Fig. 9 is a front view of a modified type of handle with a short ilat portion and with a tamping grip.

Fig. 10 is a side view of in Fig. 9. l

As shown in the drawing, 10 designates the tubular seamless shank which is open at the bottom to receive the wooden shank 11. Integral with the shank and extending upwardly therefrom, the sheet metal is extended to form the flat portion 12, which corresponds in general contour to the corresponding part of the D handle. The flat portion is of hollow box section, as shown the handle shown resent invention in Fig. 2, and is preferably provided with of the handle. Intermediate these indented portions the metal is shaped, as shown at 14, to provide an extended socket for the wooden shank. The shank may be fastened to the handle by two rivets 15 which extend throuvhsuitable holes in the shank portion 10 and the extended shank socket portion 1,4.

Extending upwardly andv integral with the flat. portion are the spaced arms or prongs 15. These parts initially are' of hollow channel section and are provided with a curved recess 16 (Fig. 7) to receive the round grip receiving portion of the handle. The are also rounded, as shown at 17, to con orm to the curvature of the grip when bent inwardly.

The grip receivin element is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. his element is formed of one integral U-shaped piece of metal comprising a fiat strip of metal 18 wlth curved flanges 19 upon the outer ed es thereof. (See Fi 4.) At the upper en s, the strips 18 are s aped to form cups 20 having indented bosses 20 therein. These portions receive the wooden grip 21, and the latter is preferably turned with the grain of the wood running lengthwise, thereby obviating split ting. The grip may be held tightly in place in any desired manner as by the slotless screws 22 which form the subject matter of a separate application. It will be understood that, in assembling, the grip in place, the 'gri receiving element is first sprung to allow t e grip to be inserted in the cu s. Then, after the U arms have been broug t together to embrace the grip in cups 20-20, the slotless screws are driven in and when in place prevent the turning of the grip relatively to the grip receiving element.

After the wooden grip is properly secured in place, the grip receiving metal piece or element is insertedin the open ltop of the main body portion, fitting closelyin the interior of forked arms 15. Thereafter the edges of the arms 15 are rolled over, as shown at 23 in ligs.4 2 and 4, to thereby closely embrace the edges 1 9 of the grip receiving element 18. These edges,- together with the flat strip 18, form the closure wall for the interior of the D opening. When the edges are thus rolled overthe cut-away arc portions 17 closely conform to the con-v tour of the wooden grip.

The handle is now complete and read to be assembled upon the shank. This is one by boring the shank and riveting in the manner previously explained.. Proper alignment of the shovel blade and the handle may be readily obtained by proper alignment of the holes, and no bending of the metal arms is necessary.

The completed handle is of pleasing contour conforming almost exactly to the well known wooden D handles. The extended socket construction obviates shake, and the Lemme use of the se arate grip receiving element materially re uces the cost of pressing and drawing of the sheet metal parts. The grip receiving element is of proper dimensions to snugl fit the main handle body and after the e ges 23 are turned over the completed handle is, in effect, a unitary article with a closed smooth wall entirely around the D opening.

The modified ty e shown in Figs. 9 and 10. is substantially t e same except that the flat portion 12 is shorter and the grip 21 is substantially oval in -cross-section. 1n this form the grip is retained in place by a through rivet 22, The cup portion 2O is likewise oval.

Certain features of the present invention are claimed in my copending applications Se'- rial No. 542,929, filed March 11, 1922,'and Serial No. 433,257, liled December 27, 1920.

What I claimis:

1. A sheet metal shovel handle,compris ing a hollow body portion including a pair of spaced arm portions of hollow channel section, a shank ortion integral with said body portion, said) body portion having substantially flat portions and shaped to form an extended socket for the inserted shank.

2. A sheet metal shovel handle, comprising a hollow body portion having an integral downwardly extending open shank portion, said body rtion having the substantially flat portions thereof shaped to form an extended socket for the inserted shank, said socket extendin upwardly from the point of junction of t e body portion and said first mentioned shank portion.

3. A sheetmetal shovel handle, comprising-a hollow body portion havin inte al channel-like arm portions, an in epen ent grip receiving element fitted within said arm portions and embraced thereby, and a grip carried by integral -cup members on said element.

4. A sheet metal shovel handle, com risingl a hollow body portion provided wit an integral shank portion `and a pair of spaced arm portions, a grip receiving element in cluding integral cup-like members on the upper ends thereof, said'element'bein fitted in ,i and embraced by turned over-e ges of said arm portions, .and la grip carried by said element.

5. A sheet metal shovel handle, comprising a drawn body portion having an open top and open shank portion,.said body portion having a flat portion indented to reinforce the same and form an extended socket portion for the inserted shank.

6. A sheet metal shovel handle, comprising a sheet metal hollow body portion, and a separate grip receiving element formed of a unitary p-iece of sheet metal connected to the body portion, said element havin flanged portions embracing the grip, sai

body portion and element having coacting inturned edges -to engage each other and secure the parts together.

7. A shovel handle comprising a sheet metal U-shaped grip receiving portion separate from the body portion of the handle and having cooperating iianged and cupped portions to receive the grip, and havin inturned flanged edges upon the arms o the element for the purpose described.

8. A sheet metal shovel handle, comprising a grip portion, a hollow sheet metal body portion, a separate sheet metal grip receiving portion, said body portion having the edges thereof turned in to embrace and i5 secure the grip receiving portion thereto, said grip receiving portion having coacting inturned edges to fit the body portion. 9. A sheet metal shovel handle, comprising a bollo-W sheet metal body portion and so a separate grip receiving portion embraced. thereby, a-grip carried thereby, and means cooperating with the grip and grip receiving portion for preventing relative rotation of said grip.

ln testimony whereof I hereto affix my si ature.

gn LEWIS E. WEBSTER. 

